Restricing diet for my 13-month old?

Question

I restrict what my 13-mo old can eat because we have weight problems in our family. I do not let her eat sweets very often or snack on "empty foods", or drink sodas or anything but juice. Am I being too strict? She enjoys other foods and she doesn't get upset if I don't feed her sugary snacks. I'd like to think I'm keeping her healthy and I let her eat meats, fruits, veggies, and table food that we eat, but I see it as unnecessary to give her unhealthy snacks when they can be replaced with healthy food. Also, family members sneak her food such as cake and pie and this ticks me off. I tell them over and over NOT to give her food and they think I'm kidding. On Thanksgiving, I let her have pumpkin pie and I caught someone feeding her 1/2 a slice! They said I should let her try it, but had they asked, they would've known she'd already had PLENTY! Am I overreacting or should I stick to my guns?

Answer 1

first of all, there is NO PROBLEM with not letting your baby not have sugar. they don't know what they are missing at that age, and once you give it to them, they will want it more and more. you are 100% right to feed her healthy, well-balanced meals. and you can make some "treats" healthy as she gets older - ie, homemade cookies with splenda and oatmeal, or fruit with yogurt dip, or "ants on a log" (celery with peanut butter on it with raisins on top. yum!).

as for the family, if you confront them in a hostile way, especially in front of people, they might get defensive. i think it might help if you talked to them in private, maybe AFTER the get-together, and explain your position. that you are trying to establish healthy habits for her NOW, since the family has a history of bad habits. also, you could throw in the card that if you don't know what she is eating, she could have an allergic reaction because you might not have introduced her to certain foods yet, so can they please ask before they give her anything. you can also say that you don't want to deprive your daughter of experiencing certain foods, but you feel that 1 year old is a bit young for pop and junk food.

good luck! family always is tricky- they WANT to help, and sometimes forget who the parent is!

Answer 2

Stick to your guns. I am constantly having to defend my daughter against stuff and I don't like having to do it but we moms know what is best for our kids. There's no reason a child that age (or any age) needs sugar, juice, or other junk food. Now when she's old enough to really notice that other people get to have it and she doesn't (ie too old to be distracted from it or just taken outside or something) then you might let her have some, bring something else for her, or avoid gatherings where that will be a temptation. My daughter is 2 1/2 and I don't like to not let her have stuff, for example at a birthday party I am not going to tell her she can't have cake when all the other kids are having it. That's my choice, though, and if you want to make a different choice you're still the mom and should do what you feel comfortable with.
If you practice staying strong with this you can continue to stay strong through all the other things that will come up. The no sugar thing is tame compared to what I am dealing with even with my 2 1/2 year old (though we're still dealing with the sugar issue, too, of course)- there only get to be more things so stick to your guns early and often and you will be stronger for the more things that will come.

Answer 3

My question is are you eating as healthy as she is? I don't feel it is right to tell a child they can't have something if I am sitting there eating/drinking it. If you are then I think it is wonderful that you are restricting things she doesn't need. At 13 months she really doesn't know how many sweets are out there. I would not reccommend restricting her as she gets older to the point that she is going to sneak around to get it. I was not allowed much soda growing up, and now drink way to much of it. Therefore I allow my kids to have some but in very limited quantities. Good Luck.

Answer 4

Sounds like you are trying to feeed your child a healthy diet. My kids also did not drink sodas and eat alot of candy..our reason was not a weight issue, but their dad is in the dental business and these things cause cavities. My children are now 23 and 27 and have never had a cavity. Keep up the good sence approach to your childs diet..but if she eats an extra piece of pie while at a family holiday, do not worry, it is not worth causing family strife over.

Answer 5

I say stick to your guns. She is your daughter, and you should have the last say. So what if your family thinks you are too strict. As long as she's eating plenty of fruits and veggies, she will be healthy. I also don't let my son have cakes and cookies unless it's a special occasion. If you need more reassurance that you're doing a great job, keep a food journal for a few days, and give it to your pediatrician. When they tell you that it's great, tell your family that you're going along with doctors orders, and if they continue to sneak sweets to her, tell them that you will not be around for meals.

Answer 6

It is good that you are monitoring your child's eating habits. There are a lot of people today who wish their parents took their eating habits in hand. You are not over the top. Your relatives seem to enjoy food and thinks your child should too. I am a mother of 4 and I kept my children on a schedule. Humans normally eat every 3 - 4 hours. If you follow this schedule you will be able to determine just how hungry your child is. Not giving your child junk food is great, but remember we can also gain weight by just simply eating too much food. Portion control is also important. Make sure your child is eating enough for him/her. Once you have established good eating habits for your child, talk to your child (even now) about eating healthy and make sure you are a good example of healthy eating. With this approach your child should also become a healthy eater. Also make sure you stress to your relatives how important this issue is to you and to please respect your wishes.

Answer 7

Cultivating good habits in your child is a wonderful thing to do...BRAVO. 13 month olds should be on a super healthy diet. A word of caution; I have a friend who's mom was 'super strict' about food and later in life that person gained a LOT of weight. She was so obsessed with food that she found it difficult to say no. She binged on all of the things her parents would not let her have. I guess what I am trying to say is that moderation is key.

Answer 8

You are absolutely CORRECT!! Your family is being ignorant,, You are the child’s Parent, following/setting a good healthy lifestyle that will stay with your child forever! Provided the family doesn’t screw it and the child up!! Time to tell the family “either respect my parenting skills or for the child’s welfare I’ll be forced to restrict interaction.

STICK TO YOUR GUNS !!

Answer 9

It sounds good to me. as long as toddler gets a good mix of protein, carbs, fruit and veg and dairy ingredients - then you somewhat're doing nicely. For assessment my 12 month previous son has... Breakfast: small bowl of fruity porridge and 0.5 a slice of wholemeal toast & butter Mid morning: 4-6 oz.. milk Lunch: the two dairylea or tuna sandwich or cauli cheese or cheesy pasta + yoghurt + water Mid afternoon: 7-8 oz.. milk Dinner: Meat and veg + potatoes or rice (commerce between hen, beef, lamb and fish) + yoghurt + fruit juice. Bedtime 4-6 oz.. milk All infants are soooooo diverse - his cousin is purely 5 months older and eats approximately triple what my son eats - yet my son seems happy with this volume and this habitual - I consistently grant milk at breakfast time - yet we are attempting to regulate from bottle to cup - so it finally ends up being thrown around the floor!!

Answer 10

I think its great that your starting healthy habits early. Although if your around family you can be sure that they will give your baby treats. I know its annoying, but they'll do it anyway. Just lower your guard a bit on holidays and big family gatherings. Don't sweat it, she's not going to become a porker if she has some sweeties once a month.